Top-ranked Virginia led by as many as 17 in the first half, then withstood a Louisville rally that cut the margin to four with 8:55 to go, before pulling away for a 74-64 win on Thursday at the ACC Tournament.

UVA (29-2) led 38-21 with 1:40 to go in the first half, but threes by Dwayne Sutton and Deng Adel got the Cardinals (20-13) back to 38-27 at the half.

A De’Andre Hunter three with 12:10 to go had the ‘Hoos up 54-41, but an 11-2 Louisville run capped by a Jordan Nwore dunk with 8:55 left cut the lead to four, at 56-52.

Then, it was time for the Cavalanche, fueled as usual on the defensive end. Louisville went without a field goal for more than eight minutes, and a pair of finishes at the rim by Mamadi Diakite ignited a game-ending 19-6 run.

Kyle Guy led the Cavaliers with 19 points. Devon Hall had 14, Hunter had 12, Ty Jerome 11 and Diakite finished with 10.

Team Notes

Virginia improved to 29-2

The Cavaliers advanced to the ACC semifinals for the fourth time in the last five years (24thoverall)

UVA has at least one win in each of the last five ACC tournaments, tying a program best (1970-74)

UVA is 26-3 all-time in the 16 weeks as the top-ranked team

UVA has a six-game winning streak

UVA has 29 or more wins for the eighth time in history (1981, 1982, 1983, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018)

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Augusta Free Press launched in 2002. The site serves as a portal into life in the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia – in a region encompassing Augusta County, Albemarle County and Nelson County and the cities of Charlottesville, Staunton and Waynesboro, at the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail.